This invention relates generally to games for thinking and to develop coordination and, more particularly, to an electronic board game that provides audible and visual indications both during progress of the game as well as at the end of the game.
Electronic tone producing and musical games and toys are known. One such game device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,087 to Morrison et al. which is incorporated herein by reference. Such games and toys usually take the form of low cost musical instruments, such as pianos, organs and the like, or musical devices that automatically sequence through a plurality of tones or special effects. Electronically generated musical tones have also been utilized in conjunction with pinball type machines to indicate the progress of the game, and machines that generate a random sequence of numbers which must be guessed by a participant have been devised. However, while these machines do provide a great deal of amusement, such machines generally do not provide a game wherein a participant may play against the machine or with a device that controls the interaction of two participants. Previous machines also do not provide the thinking and physical challenge associated with the game of the present invention.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic game that controls the interaction between two participants, or against the machine itself.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a game for action and thinking that tests the aural and visual memory, as well as the coordination and concentration of a participant, either against the machine or against another participant.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a game that can generate an automatic rotation, or random sequence of events that must be timely repeated by the participant.
It is another object of the invention to provide a microprocessor controlled game for thinking that monitors the progress of the participants.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a microprocessor controlled game for thinking that can be programmed to play a variety of games.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a device for controlling several push-button switches, each associated with a tone or light, or both. The device utilizes a microprocessor to generate a sequence of tones, each associated with a light and one of the keyswitches. The microprocessor is programmed to generate a rotation or random sequence of tones or lights, or both, which must be repeated by a participant by depressing the proper keyswitches shortly after each tone or light or both. If the participant correctly repeats the sequence shortly after each tone or light or both, the machine may add another level to the sequence and play the faster timed sequence which must again be repeated by the participant. The process is repeated to provide a higher level sequence until the participant makes an error or, if desired, until the sequence reaches a predetermined level. The machine then indicates whether the machine or the participant has won, and may be programmed to indicate the highest level sequence successfully repeated. Also, controls may be provided for increasing the speed of the thinking game either manually or automatically as the game progresses.
In another embodiment of the invention, the game can be played to control the interaction of two participants. One participant generates a first rotation or random sequence that must be repeated by the other participant. As in the above, the machine keeps track of the highest sequence successfully repeated and declares a winner when one of the participants makes an error. Also, as in case of the above, the sequence may take the form of a tone sequence, light sequence or both tone and light sequence.
By the present invention, there is provided a game device which is constructed so as to aid in the development of coordination and concentration among children as well as adults. The device provides a display of a pair of hands and a pair of feet with switches to be operated by the corresponding hands and feet of the participants. As one of the hands or feet lights up on the game display, the participant attempts to activate the corresponding switch to match that of the hand or foot which is lighted and then to continue to press additional switches in sequence as additional hands or feet light up in a pattern on the display.
At the top of the game board, a pair of arrows are provided with one arrow pointing to the left and the other to the right. When the game is in the automatic mode, one of the arrows will light up to indicate initially that the game pattern for lighting up the hands and feet will proceed either clockwise or counter clockwise.
When a participant activates the correct corresponding switch relative to the hand or foot which has been lighted, a bell will sound from a microphone speaker located on the game board. When an incorrect switch is pressed, a buzzer will sound and the game comes to an end.
The game may be played by either one or two players and a manual mode is available for use with two players wherein one player may press switches in a rotation or random sequence to light up the hands and feet of the display and the other player then attempts to timely match the sequence of lights and tones or either created by the first player.